Rotor assembly for a fluid flow machine

ABSTRACT

A rotor assembly for a fluid flow machine comprising a rotor hub member provided with a plurality of angularly spaced apart rotor blades, and at least one load-distributing member which transmits predetermined torsional loads between the various rotor blades, the load-distributing member being free to move with respect to all the rotor blades but engaging the latter to distribute the load whenever any rotor blade, as a result of the application thereto of such a predetermined torsional load, moves with respect to the remaining rotor blades.



1. A rotor assembly for a fluid flow machine comprising: a rotor hub member, a plurality of angularly spaced apart rotor blades bonded on said rotor hub member, said rotor blades having radially outwardly opening recesses in the tips thereof, and at least one load-distributing member engageable with said blades to transmit predetermined torsional loads therebetween, said loaddistributing member being mounted for limited free radial movement in said recesses and being normally free to move with respect to all said rotor blades on said rotor hub to avoid transfer to any of said blades of centrifugal forces from the load-distributing member.
 2. A rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the load-distributing member comprises an annular member which is concentric with the rotor hub member.
 3. A rotor assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the annular member is a floating member which is mounted for limited circumferential movement within aligned recesses in the rotor blades.
 4. A rotor assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the annular member is connected to parts which extend throughout at least a portion of the angular distances between adjacent rotor blades which are closely spaced from the latter.
 5. A rotor assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which there are a plurality of interconnected annular members.
 6. A rotor assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the annular member is formed of resin-impregnated fibrous material which has been wound in situ to form the annular member. 